By Pete Martin
Salisbury made it 4 games without a win under new manager Brian Dutton as they went down to a 1-0 loss away at Dorchester Town.
A slight tweak in the formation played meant there were 2 changes to the side picked; Charlie Davis and Sam Ashton dropping to the bench with Josh Carmichael and Dan Fitchett coming in to start.
It was the hosts who got off to the best start and after 4 minutes striker, Olaf Koszela fired a shot wide after a quick break down the left-hand side. 5 minutes later they had another chance but after the ball was crossed deep into the box, Matthew Neale headed just wide of the post. Salisbury started to grow into the game and after quarter of an hour, Fitchett headed high from Antonio Diaz’s cross before on 22 minutes, Sam Roberts will have been disappointed to not get a powerful header on target from inside the 6-yard box when Diaz swung a corner into the danger zone. The Magpies came back strong and just after the half-hour mark, Gerard Benfield had to be alert to push away a fierce shot from Charlie Gunson before Jordan Ngalo put a shot wide. It was in time added on for the half that home keeper, Ryan Hall was made to really work for the first time and he did well to get down low and save from Brandon Goodship’s free-kick to keep the scores level as the half ended.
A quiet start to the 2nd half saw Neale curl a shot wide on 49 minutes and 8 minutes later at the other end Hall saved well from Fitchett’s header close in. True goal chances were proving hard for either side to fashion, although on 65 minutes good link-up from Koszela and Neale saw the latter pull his shot across goal narrowly wide. The Whites failed to heed the warning sign and 10 minutes later the hosts grabbed what proved to be the only goal of the game through Gunson. In what was probably the best move of the match, involving Ngalo, Neale and Tiago Sa, it came to Gunson who fired home from inside the box giving Benfield no chance. Salisbury huffed and puffed in an effort to get back in the game but managed to create very little in front of goal, although there were strong shouts for a penalty late on when a Dorchester player appeared to handle in the box, but referee Carl Peters waved away the protests and soon brought an end to proceedings sending the Whites home frustrated.
The Whites are back in action on Tuesday, November 1st when they welcome Hanwell Town to the Ray Mac for the first-ever meeting of the 2 sides, kick-off 7:45 pm.
Team: Benfield, Gillela, Roberts, Sommerton, Mullings, Wakefield, Mullings, Carmichael(Ashton), Lee(Brooks C), Diaz, Goodship, Fitchett(Thomson).
Unused Subs: Davis, Fox
